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Eugene Marugi……dream start in Africom Zimbabwe Open

Eugen Marugi made seven birdies and an eagle in an opening round of eight-under-par 64 at the Royal Harare Golf Club to take the early first-round lead of the Africom Zimbabwe Open. Starting his round on the 10th hole, he made three birdies in his opening six holes, before a dropped shot on 16 set him back.

But only for a moment: He birdied 18, and then roared around the turn with birdies on one and two, and an eagle three on the 479-metre third, before picking up another birdie on eight to take a two stroke lead over Titch Moore.

Moore had a slow start from the 10th, his birdie putt lipping out on his opening hole, and then making a double-bogey five on the 175-metre 11th. But he made four birdies to the turn, and then came home in 32.
He made four birdies in a row on his way in and overtook the early clubhouse leaders Ryan Clarke and Neil Cheetham who had each carded five-under 67.

There are three defending champions in the field, and they got off to slow starts: 1999 winner Jean Hugo fought back from an awful start – three bogeys and a double bogey in his opening nine – and there were enough birdies on his card to see him to one-over 71.

Tony Johnstone, who won in 1993, had back problems in his opening four-over 76, while Chris Williams, the 1994 champion, was due to start in the afternoon field.

Marugi is returning to the fairways after a spell in rehabilitation for addiction problems, and he started his return solidly with a share of 14th in the last Sunshine Tour event, the Vodacom Business Origins of Golf event at Gardener Ross. He closed with a 68 behind winner Hugo.

This time around, he could barely put a foot wrong. “I’m not sure what I’m doing out there yet,” he admitted. “All I am trying to do is swing the club well and get used to feeling good again.”

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